With the first Holiday
Doubleheader of the 2017 Season opening with Pen Centre Night
Saturday Night – Monday May 22nd’s Zavitz Financial Strategies
and Employee Benefits Extravaganza will feature the 3rd
Annual Brian Stevens Memorial for the Pinty’s 358 Modifieds. The
66 lap Main Event will pay the winner $2,666.66.

“It’s a great way to celebrate the first Holiday Weekend,”
relates Merrittville Owner Don Spiece, “the 358s will be joined
by the RUSH Late Models, our Central Fabricating 4 Cylinders and
the first round of the Eataly Foods Triple Truck Challenge by
Tomaski Racing … there’s definitely something for everyone! ”

Merrittville’s Victoria Day Event is a long-standing tradition
on the schedule each season. In the first two Brian Stevens
Memorials however there has only been one winner – third
generation racer Erick Rudolph of Ransomville NY.

For the third straight year as well
the Sweeney Tour Event has joined the Victoria Day celebration. In 2015,
Max Blair won the inaugural event, which was the first ever Crate Late Model
race held at the speedway. Last year, John Waters was victorious; and in
fact, Waters has now won four of the last five Sweeney Tour events held in
Canada!

Many of the weekly Humberstone RUSH racers
will make the short trip to Merrittville to compete with
competitors from South Buxton and Brighton Speedways also
expected to pay a visit.

Waters from Whitesville NY won the 2016
championship, the first of his career in RUSH.

In addition to the Central Fabricating 4
Cylinders – the Eataly Foods Triple Truck Challenge Series by
Tomaski Racing will open.

As part of last season’s Brian Stevens
Memorial, Danny Wurster – a former crew man for Stevens took
home the 4 Cylinder Truck Series opener in his tribute Orange
#444 Truck.

In 2017, Wurster will look for a repeat
performance in his #44 Orange colored Truck as a follow up to
the win one year ago.

Brian Stevens had a natural talent – winning more than 150 Features
and track championships in Big Block (1982) and what is now the
Pinty’s Delicious Foods 358 Modified Division back in 1992 at
Merrittville Speedway.

“Before he got behind the wheel of a race car,” remembers
(Merrittville Speedway Reunion Committee Chairman) Rick
Kavanagh, the son of former Merrittville co-owner Ken Kavanagh,
“Brian and I would watch the races from the grandstand in the
60’s and he even helped us by working at jobs such as selling
popcorn … we would always try to finish early though so we could
watch some of the racing”

While recent L. St. Amand Enterprises Wall of Fame Inductee Harry
Sittler was driving a Modified owned by Ray – Brian would jump
at the chance to get behind the wheel of Harry’s Late Model in
1974. At 22 years of age in 1975 – Brian would have his own 14s
Late Model and began his racing career that season.

After his marriage to his
wife Teresa his rookie season, 1976 was a milestone year as
shortly after the birth of their first daughter Amanda - he
would win his first career feature. Amanda would soon have a
younger sister when Melissa was born.

As the 70’s became the
80’s , Brian would move up into the Modified Division and
quickly would back up his first Merrittville Championship with
the same honors at Humberstone Speedway in 1982. A second title
at the Port Colborne facility would come in 1987.

Brian Stevens spent over
40 years at his dad Ray’s side as they raced across Canada and
the US. With Brian’s 2010 Induction into the FOAR SCORE Hall of
Fame – the two became one of only 4 father and son teams that
have been inducted in addition to sharing the same honours on
our own L. St. Amand Enterprises Wall of Fame.

The special event is a presentation of Zavitz Financial
Strategies - a truly independent financial planning organization
that thrives on developing new and better ways to help their
clients … right here in the heart of Niagara!

For more than 20 years, the team at Zavitz Financial Strategies
has been meeting the insurance and investment needs of
individuals, families and companies. Their experts will help you
to bring the pieces of financial planning together

ZFS Employee Benefit Solutions has expertise in the design and
management of group insurance plans. Tap into their experience
and insight into team dynamics to solve your toughest benefit
problems. Call Paul Scott at 905-714-4134 to get the results you
want.

ZFS Benefit Solutions prides itself in delivering knowledge and
solutions to all of your employee benefit needs. With a ‘no
pressure’ review of their services – you will be on your way to
greater corporate success.

MERRITTVILLE SPEEDWAY SPONSORS The 2017 66thAnniversary Bobcat of Hamilton Weekly Racing Series for
Merrittville Speedway’s 5 Divisions was brought to race fans and
racers by division sponsors – Pinty’s Delicious Foods, S&W
Service Centre, Hoosier Tire Canada, Wood Motor Company and
Central Fabricating in addition to many marketing partners Visit
them at
http://www.merrittvillespeedway.com/sponsors.htmand
visit them when you require their products and/or services.

Celebrating 15 years of serving the Hamilton, Halton and Niagara
Regions, Bobcat of Hamilton is a leading provider of compact
equipment for a wide variety of markets – striving to empower
customers to do their jobs more efficiently and effectively.